In the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart return to their iconic roles as Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto, respectively. Marvel Studios announced in a live stream on Wednesday an amazing ensemble cast that will feature in the first Avengers film in six years.
Aejía; Paul Rudd from Ant-Man; Simu Liu from Shang-Chi; Captain America’s Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan; and Thor’s Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. The stars of this summer’s Fantastic Four reboot, such as Stranger Things actor Joseph Quinn and Oscar-nominated actress Vanessa Kirby, will also excite fans. Stars like David Harbour and Florence Pugh will also appear in the upcoming Thunderbolts movie.
The return of McKellen and Stewart is especially thrilling for die-hard fans of the X-Men franchise. Stewart’s last time playing Professor Xavier was in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, after his character died in Logan, while McKellen’s last time playing Magneto was in X-Men: Days of Future Past. They are joined by some of the other major X-Men stars, such as Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, and Alan Cumming.
To the already impressive roster, Channing Tatum, originally set to star in a Gambit solo movie, will also return for Avengers: Doomsday, after making a cameo appearance in Deadpool 2 as Wolverine. Yet one omission stands out, that of Elizabeth Olsen as the Scarlet Witch. Olsen has assured fans that she won’t be part of this film’s cast.
One thrilling inclusion in the film will be the presence of Robert Downey Jr., who will play the evil Doctor Doom. This was made public last year’s San Diego Comic-Con where Downey Jr. quipped about coming back, remarking, “New mask. Same task.”. Boy, I tell you, I enjoy playing complex characters.” Fans will get to see more of his character’s complexity, as the directors of the film, Anthony and Joe Russo, have shown their appreciation for villains who perceive themselves as the heroes of their own narratives. Joe Russo recently stated, “That’s when they become three-dimensional and when they become more interesting.”. And when you’ve got an actor like Robert Downey Jr, you’ve got to build a well-formed, three-dimensional character for the audience to see. That’s where a lot of our energy is going.
The Russo brothers, who helmed earlier Avengers films like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, will again be helming the project. Their final Marvel project, Avengers: Endgame, remains among the highest-grossing films of all time, having made more than $2.79 billion at the global box office. While their latest venture, The Electric State, was met with mixed reception, with The Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw designating it as “very bland and derivative,” there’s no denying that anticipation is building for their return to the MCU.
Avengers: Doomsday is also highly anticipated, especially coming off of the poor reviews of some of the previous MCU films. The Marvels fared badly at the box office, only grossing $206 million, while Captain America: Brave New World performed well and took in $401 million worldwide. Avengers: Doomsday is shaping up to be a landmark film that weaves together many storylines from past and present as the MCU evolves and expands.
Avengers: Doomsday is currently under production in London and is due to be out in May 2026. Fans of the X-Men storyline and MCU enthusiasts will eagerly view this thrilling new installment on screens.
